It's no secret, that as a society we have become dependent on our technology.
But not just the technology itself but social media and text messaging. The days of calling are now over; we now have apps like Find Friends that can tell us exactly where someone is. Or we can turn to Facebook to see what someone is doing.This summer, I made the choice to turn off my notifications, my text messages, social media - all of it. Some may think that turning off your messages can be dangerous but my parents were fully aware.If they needed me, they called me. So what was the outcome? What happened?
Back story: When I first decided to do this, I told my parents, they were fully supportive! I turned off my message notifications, as well as all social media - Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat - all of it. I then placed those apps in a group of their own. In the first week, I instantly realized how much I checked back to those apps, just to see what I was missing! It shocked me, how much I looked back. As the weeks went on, I checked it less and less. I became less dependent on social media and seeing who texted or snap chatted me. I focused more on what was important to me. The thing about social media is that it gives people the wrong impression and assumptions. Someone's life can look so "great" because they look perfect in every Instagram photo. But the truth is, that is just what they want us to see. You don't know a person by looking at there Facebook page or Instagram feed. You get to know them by talking to them, face to face interaction. Or even calling if you have too.
Are my notifications still off? That is a yes and no question. My messages are still turned off, so if someone needs to reach me instantly, they call me. My Snapchat notifications are back on. However, I don't find my self- scrolling through the stories or doing anything other than talking to my friends. My Facebook notifications are still off as well. I strictly use it for work purposes and keeping up with the Odyssey. Twitter is still off, I don't really use it. The great thing is that I can share my articles to both Twitter and Facebook with out even having to use the apps themselves.
Did turning off all my notifications effect my mental state? Absolutely yes! When I turned off my notifications, I focused more on what was in front of me. I realized how blessed I was to have the family, coworkers, and friends I do. I learned to live in the moment, to realize I don't need to document every single thing. I became a happier individual; I think that's why I am so hesitant to turn all of the notifications back on. You don't need to have social media; we as a society just have learned to crave it.
So now it's your turn, turn of all the distractions, and notifications and see what happens!
